U.S. patent number 4,343,064 [Application Number 06/109,555] was granted by the patent office on 1982-08-10 for device for connecting a wiper blade holder to a wiper arm.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Champion Spark Plug Europe S.A.. Invention is credited to Guiseppe Maiocco, Johan H. van den Berg.
United States Patent |
4,343,064 |
van den Berg , et
al. |
August 10, 1982 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Device for connecting a wiper blade holder to a wiper arm
Abstract
A connector or adaptor is provided for connecting a windshield
wiper arm (1) to a superstructure (5) of a windshield wiper blade.
The arm end has aligned bores (2) and a spring clip (3) for
securing the arm to a pin on a blade. The connector or adaptor is a
one or two part member (10, 11, 23, 32, 42) which is secured to a
rivet (7) on the blade and has laterally located, sidewardly
extending pins (21) for engagement with the arm end or has
vertically located, sidewardly extending pins (31, 41) for
engagement with the arm end.
Inventors: |
van den Berg; Johan H.
(Hasselt, BE), Maiocco; Guiseppe (Rivoli,
IT) |
Assignee: |
Champion Spark Plug Europe S.A.
(Virton, BE)
|
Family
ID: |
11298941 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/109,555 |
Filed: |
January 4, 1980 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jan 5, 1979 [IT] |
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67020 A/79 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
15/250.32 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60S
1/4038 (20130101); B60S 1/4083 (20130101); B60S
2001/4096 (20130101); B60S 2001/409 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60S
1/32 (20060101); B60S 1/40 (20060101); B60S
001/40 () |
Field of
Search: |
;15/250.31-250.42
;403/163,188,189 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2251502 |
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May 1973 |
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DE |
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2340481 |
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Feb 1975 |
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DE |
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1433668 |
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Apr 1976 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Feldman; Peter
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wegner, Stellman, McCord, Wood
& Dalton
Claims
We claim:
1. A connecting device between the superstructure of a wiper blade
and the free end portion of a wiper arm wherein the upper central
portion of said superstructure is provided with a substantially
rectangular opening and wherein said wiper arm has a bore (2) and a
flexible spring clip (3), characterized in that at least one
relatively resilient part (10,11 32,42) is snap-fitted into said
opening (6), means (13,38,48) carried by the first part (10,11
32,42) cooperating with the edge of said opening (6) for
positioning said first part in said opening, one other part
(23,30,40) being carried by said first part and being provided with
holding means (21,31,41) capable of cooperating with the bore (2)
and flexible spring clip (3) on the free end portion of the wiper
arm (1) such as to maintain said arm (1) in its working position
with respect to the superstructure (5) of the wiper blade.
2. A connecting device according to claim 1, characterized in that
said one other part (23,30,40) is provided with two short coaxial
pins (21,31,41), said two coaxial pins (21,31,41) being capable of
co-operating with the bore (2) in the free end portion of the arm
and with the flexible spring clip (3), which is provided with
certain types of wiper arms (1) designed for a lateral fitting.
3. A connecting device according to claim 1 wherein said other part
(23,32) provided with said holding means is characterized by said
holding means being coaxial pins (21,31) extending laterally with
respect to the superstructure (5) of the wiper blade.
4. A connecting device according to claim 1 wherein said one part
(42) provided with said holding means is characterized by said
holding means being coaxial pins (41) located above the
superstructure (5) of the wiper blade.
5. A connecting device according to one or the other of claims 3
and 4, characterized in that the coaxial pins (21,31,41) are
directed both in the same direction and that their common axis is
perpendicular to the central longitudinal plane (VII--VII) of the
superstructure (5) of the wiper blade.
6. A connecting device according to one or the other of claims 3
and 4, characterized in that the distance between a free end
portion (29,39,49) of one of the pins (21,31,41) and a support
(20,30,40) of the other pin is equal to or slightly greater than
the width of the flexible spring clip (3) of the wiper arm (1).
7. A connecting device according to claim 2, characterized in that
the resiliency of said resilient parts (10,11,32,42) is such as to
permit snap-fitting into the opening (6) of the superstructure (5)
of the wiper blade, and at the same time to be sufficiently rigid
to support the two coaxial pins (21,31,41).
8. A connecting device according to claim 2, characterized in that
the resilient parts (10,11,32,42) are snap-fitted onto the upper
edge (9a) of said central portion by means of appropriate
overhanging hooks (13) on said parts.
9. A connecting device between the superstructure of a wiper blade
and the free end portion of a wiper arm wherein the upper central
portion of said superstructure is provided with a substantially
rectangular opening, and wherein said wiper arm has a bore (2) and
a flexible spring clip (3), characterized in that at least one part
(10,11,23,32,42) is snap-fitted into said opening (6), one other of
said parts (23,32,42) being provided with holding means (21,31,41)
capable of cooperating with the bore (2) and flexible spring clip
(3) on the free end portion of the wiper arm (1) such as to
maintain said arm (1) in its working position with respect to the
superstructure (5) of the wiper blade, said one other of said parts
(23,32,42) is provided with two short coaxial pins (21,31,41), said
two coaxial pins (21,31,41) being capable of co-operating with the
bore (2) in the free end portion of the arm and with the flexible
spring clip (3), which is provided with certain types of wiper arms
(1) designed for a lateral fitting, said at least one part being
two parts (10,11) which are of a relatively high resiliency, said
two parts (10,11) are substantially symmetrical with respect to the
central longitudinal plane (VII--VII) of the wiper blade, one said
other part (23) with a negligible resiliency has the form of a
stirrup, one of the flanks (18) of which is blocked between said
two highly resilient parts (10,11).
10. A connecting device according to claim 9, characterized in that
said substantially symmetrical parts (10,11) have a variable
cross-sectional profile provided with hollows or slots (16,24,25)
which increase their resiliency.
Description
DESCRIPTION
Technical Field
This invention relates to improvements in the connecting device of
a wiper blade holder to the free end portion of a corresponding
wiper arm. The connecting devices or connectors are, for example,
mounted on the wiping systems of motor vehicles.
Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,227, issued Sept. 19, 1978, relates to a
lateral connecting device for wiper blades which have been
especially designed for being coupled with wiper arms of the
lateral type, provided with a bore which receives a lateral pivot
pin and possibly provided with a flexible spring clip which blocks
the pivot pin in said bore. The wiper blades constructed in
accordance with the disclosure of said U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,227 can
only be used in connection with a lateral wiper arm as described
above and, for example, they cannot be used in connection with a
wiper arm designed for a dorsal fitting to the wiper blade.
Indeed, the connecting devices disclosed in said patent are rigidly
fixed to the holder or superstructure of the wiper blade.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the
problems as set forth above.
Disclosure of the Invention
According to the present invention, the lateral connecting devices
are easily connected to and disconnected from a very commonly used
wiper blade designed for a dorsal fitting of the wiper arm.
Such removable connectors offer very important advantages for the
manufacture as well as for the customer. The manufacturer no longer
needs to develop and produce two series of wiper blades: one with a
lateral fitting and one with a dorsal fitting. The manufacturing
costs are thus reduced and consequently the customer may buy his
wiper blades at a lower price. On the other hand, the sale of the
wiper blades is simplified and, by means of appropriate removable
connectors, the customer may adapt a wiper blade designed for a
dorsal fitting to a wiper arm designed for a lateral fitting and
vice-versa.
A first object of the present invention is therefore to provide a
removable lateral connecting device.
A second object of the invention is to provide a lateral connector
which is easily connected to and disconnected from the wiper blade
as well as from the wiper arm.
A third object of the invention is to provide a lateral connector
which is easily connected to and disconnected from a wiper blade
initially designed for a dorsal fitting of the wiper arm.
The connecting device according to the invention thus makes it
possible to connect a wiper blade designed for a dorsal fitting to
a wiper arm designed for a lateral fitting, such as described
above. The wiper blades designed for a dorsal fitting generally
being provided with a substantially rectangular opening in the
central portion of their superstructure, the connecting device
according to the invention is characterized in that into said
opening are snap-fitted one or several resilient parts, one of
which being provided either with two short coaxial pins, or with a
sole pin, the two pins or said sole pin co-operating with the bore
and possibly with the flexible spring clip of the wiper arm in
order to maintain said arm in its working position with respect to
the superstructure of the wiper blade.
In the embodiment comprising two short pins, these pins may be
located either above or laterally to the superstructure of the
wiper blade. In both cases, once the wiper arm has been mounted on
the two pins, it is maintained thereon by the flexible spring clip
which automatically places itself between said two pins.
In the embodiment comprising a sole pin, the pin may, for example,
be mounted on the connecting device in such a way that its free end
portion is directed towards and perpendicularly to one of the
flanks of the wiper blade. Said flank of the wiper blade will
maintain the wiper arm on said sole pin, once the connecting device
has been fitted into the substantially rectangular opening of the
superstructure of the wiper blade.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more
fully understood when reading the following portions of the
specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wiper arm end portion;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the central portion of the
superstructure of the wiper blade;
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are perspective views of the resilient parts of
the connecting device according to a first embodiment of the
invention;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the connecting device according to FIGS. 4
and 5, mounted on the superstructure of the wiper blade;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VII--VII of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line VIII--VIII of FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a sectional view along line IX--IX of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the connecting device according to a
second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 11 is a sectional view along line XI--XI of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow XII of
FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the connecting device according to a
third embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 14 is a sectional view along line XIV-XIV of FIG. 13; and
FIG. 15 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow XV of
FIG. 14.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 and 2 show the free end portion of the wiper arm 1 which is
to be linked to the central portion of the superstructure 5 of the
wiper blade shown on FIG. 3.
The free end portion of the wiper arm 1 comprises two lateral bores
2 and a flexible spring clip 3 which projects from a frontal
opening 4. This type of wiper arm is generally attached to a wiper
blade which is provided with a lateral pin on which the wiper arm 1
is mounted by introducing said lateral pin into the two bores 2 of
the wiper arm 1. When mounting the wiper arm 1 on the pin, the
flexible spring clip 3 is pushed upwards and as soon as the wiper
arm 1 is mounted completely on the pin, the flexible spring clip 3
is released and places itself automatically in an annular groove
provided in the center portion of said pin, thus preventing any
axial movement of the wiper arm 1 with respect to the pin.
The central portion of the superstructure 5 of a wiper blade,
designed for a dorsal fitting, such as shown on FIG. 3, essentially
comprises a substantially rectangular opening 6 provided at its
upper portion or web with a rivet 7 which links together the two
flanks 8 of the wiper blade and which is necessary for connecting
other types of wiper arms to the wiper blade.
The present invention relates to a connecting device associating
the wiper arm 1 to the superstructure 5, i.e., in other words, the
connecting device according to the invention will have to maintain
the wiper arm 1 in its working position with respect to the
superstructure 5. Furthermore, said device ought to be easily
connected to and disconnected from not only the superstructure 5,
but also from the wiper arm 1.
A first embodiment of the connecting device according to the
invention is shown on FIGS. 4 to 9. The connecting device according
to this first embodiment comprises three parts 10, 11, 23 of which
the first two 10, 11 are combined to form part 22 and are
relatively resilient and made, for example, out of an appropriate
plastic material, the third part 23 being relatively non-resilient
or even preferably practically rigid and made, for example, out of
steel.
The two first parts 10,11 are substantially symmetrical with
respect to the central longitudinal plane VII--VII (FIG. 6) of the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade and are provided with hollows
or slots 16, 24, 25 which increase their resiliency, more
especially in those places where the parts 10,11 end with the
sidewardly extending hooks 13 which are adapted to rest on the two
upper ridges 9a of the wiper blade, once all three resilient parts
10,11,23 are mounted on the superstructure 5 of the wiper
blade.
Before mounting the two first resilient parts 10,11 on the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade, the flank 18 of part 23 is
introduced into the space 12 between said first resilient parts
10,11 and is secured thereto definitively by any appropriate means,
such as, for example, by screws or rivets which pass through the
holes 15a of said first parts 10,11 and through the holes 15b of
part 23. It is to be noted that in their central portion 17 where
part 23 is secured to the two first resilient parts 10,11, said two
parts are not provided with hollows or slots in order to guarantee
a sufficient rigidity to the entirety of the three parts which form
the connecting device. Lastly, the groove 14a in the parts 10,11
and the groove 14b in the part 23 have no other function than to
serve as a housing to the rivet 7 and they do not necessarily
interfere in the fitting of the connecting device in the opening 6
of the superstructure 5 of the wiper blade.
Part 23 is substantially stirrup-shaped, with the flank 18
introduced, as explained above, between the two resilient parts
10,11, and with a web 19 connected to the flank 18 and having two
short support flanks 20 extending upwardly from said web. Two short
coaxial pins 21 extend perpendicular to the support flanks 20 with
the free end portions of the pins directed away from the flank
18.
The assembly of the three parts 10, 11, 23 on the superstructure 5
of the wiper blade is made from beneath by laterally compressing
parts 10,11 near the hooks 13. Once the connecting device is
completely introduced into the opening 6 of the superstructure 5 of
the wiper blade, it is kept in place by the hooks 13 which, because
of their resiliency, will rest on the upper edges 9a of the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade. On the other hand, any
displacement or rotation of the connecting device with respect to
the superstructure 5 is made impossible by the two end portions
26,27 (FIG. 7) of said device, these end portions projecting indeed
beneath the web of said superstructure 5, beyond the opening 6.
It is quite evident that the disassembly of the connecting device
according to this first embodiment is done quite easily in first
pushing the hooks 13 toward the longitudinal axis of the opening 6
and in then pushing the whole device downwards.
FIGS. 6 and 8 show the situation of the short pins 21 with respect
to the superstructure 5 of the wiper blade and also with respect to
the wiper arm 1 which is shown in a sectional view on FIG. 8.
According to FIG. 8, the flexible spring clip 3 of the wiper arm 1,
in being placed between the free end 29 of one of the pins 21 and
the support flank 20 of the other pin, prevents any axial movement
of the wiper arm 1 with respect to the two pins 21.
For mounting the wiper arm 1 on the pins 21, the flexible spring
clip 3 (FIG. 1) is pushed upwards and the flank of the arm 1 which
is closest to the superstructure 5 is introduced between the free
end 29 (FIG. 8) of one of the pins 21 and the support 20 of the
other pin 21, until the two pins 21 are in front of the bores 2 of
said wiper arm 1. The arm 1 is then pushed onto the pins 21, i.e.
towards the superstructure 5. The flexible spring clip 3, when
released, places itself between the two pins 21 and thus the wiper
arm 1 is maintained in its working position with respect to the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade. The dismounting of the wiper
arm 1 is done just as easily in operating in the reverse order.
This first embodiment of the present invention may of course be
realized under numerous other forms in varying, for example, the
number of parts, the form of these parts and/or the way to block
the connecting device in the opening 6 of the superstructure 5 of
the wiper blade.
A second embodiment of the connecting device according to the
invention is shown on FIGS. 10 to 12.
In this embodiment, the connecting device is made of one part 32,
for example, of a plastic material. The device is snap-fitted onto
the rivet 7 of the superstructure 5 of the wiper blade in
introducing it into the channel 34 and forcing it to spread the
blocking means 37 which, thanks to the resiliency of the plastic
material and to the slot 36, resiliently move apart and let the
rivet 7 pass the throat 33 into position in the cylindrical bore
35. In order to avoid any rotation of the connecting device round
rivet 7, projections 38 are provided at its upper portion, which
rest on the upper ridges 9a of the superstructure 5, on both sides
of rivet 7.
Just as in the first embodiment, the connecting device is provided
with two short pins 31 located laterally with respect to the
superstructure 5 and which maintain the wiper arm 1 in its working
position thanks to its flexible spring clip 3 which places itself
between the free end 39 of one of the pins 31 and the support 30 of
the other pin 31.
A third embodiment of the connecting device according to the
invention is shown on FIGS. 13 to 15.
This connector is made of one part 42 and is similar to the
connector of FIGS. 10 through 12, except that the two short pins 41
project from the support flanks 40 and are located above the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade. More precisely, the pins 41
are just above the cylindrical bore 45 which seats over the rivet 7
of the superstructure 5 of the wiper blade. The device is
snap-fitted onto the rivet 7 of the superstructure by aligning the
rivet 7 with the channel 44 and forcing the device toward the rivet
7 to spread the blocking means 47 until the rivet passes the throat
43 and seats in position in the cylindrical bore 45. The
projections 48 seat on the upper ridges 9a of the superstructure.
The pins 41 have free end portions 49 facing away from the support
flanks 40.
In the three embodiments described above, the connecting device is
always provided with two short pins 21, 31, 41. It is, however,
also possible to realize the same device with only one pin,
possibly associated with other means for keeping the wiper arm in
its working position with respect to the wiper blade.
A modification of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 9, with
only one pin is characterized in that said pin is located laterally
with respect to the superstructure 5 of the wiper blade and that
its free end portion is directed towards and perpendicularly to the
plane VII--VII of the wiper blade, so that, after mounting the
wiper arm 1 on said pin and after snap-fitting the connecting
device into the opening 6 of the superstructure 5 of the wiper
blade, the flank 8 of the wiper blade maintains the wiper arm 1 in
its working position.
A second modification of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 9
with only one pin consists in providing one of the resilient parts
with a pin which is perpendicular to the plane VII--VII of FIG. 6
of the wiper blade and the free end of which being directed towards
the wiper arm. This pin is provided with an annular groove into
which fits the flexible spring clip 3 of the wiper arm. Such a pin
may, for example, replace part 23 (FIG. 5). Once the connecting
device according to this embodiment has been mounted onto the
superstructure 5, the sole pin will be located at the height of the
rivet 7 in a slot 7a (FIG. 3) provided in the flank 8 of the
superstructure 5 of the wiper blade.
A third modification of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 9
with only one pin is similar to the preceding one, but the sole pin
has a uniformly circular cross section over all its length, i.e.
said pin is not provided with an annular groove. However, the pin
is co-operating with a resilient hook which keeps the wiper arm in
its working position by gripping one of the flanks of said arm.
It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the
exact construction shown and described, but that various changes
and/or modifications may be made without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *